Return To Homs tells a shocking tale of wars and humans; one that we simply can't (nor should we) shy away from all the fundamental questions hooked with the film, the story, the people, the war-stricken land...When the reality in Homs is more horrid than any fiction can ever depict, documentary might really be the most suitable channel to document and preserve all those supposedly untold stories of the forsaken city. | |
Not long before I commence writing for this review, Donald Trump gave another utterly racist speech on Muslims (actually more like a call out) , “a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.” Ranting of one mad man might be something we can get by but all those cheering and applause for Trump’s lunatic, inhuman views and stupidity on the matter? That is just plain revolting to see so many with so much ignorance and utter disrespect of life. Ignorance is not bliss! Ignorance leads to hatred, sheep mentality, wars… I sincerely hope that Trump and his supporters would just watch Return To Homs and then just watch it again. And see if they can still keep dignifying their atrocious ideology.
The 2013 documentary grants the global audience an authentic look at the transition of the besieged Syrian city of Homs over the course of three years, starting from 2011 to 2013 as we witness peaceful protesters - nineteen-year-old Basset and his friends got swirled into the brutal battle against the regime. The structure of the film only partly follows a certain pattern to enhance the effectiveness of the story-telling and visual-mapping of the city. Generally divided into three parts – The early days, Realization and Revaluation, the film visually depicts the struggles of various kinds endured by the protagonists, challenging the unaffected’s rightfulness to the indifference to the war and the horrendous reality in the Middle East. To me, there seems to be one particular story line or scene to convey the key theme in each part:
(if you haven’t watched the film, don’t read any further coz I’ll spoil everything.)
(if you haven’t watched the film, don’t read any further coz I’ll spoil everything.)
PART 1 – The early days
This part is with the chief focus to showcase the normalcy of the Syrian society during the early days of the revolution. We see Basset as simply a young, bold, promising footballer. The city seen in this part still pretty much remained intact and there’s smiles hung on children’s faces. The visual map of the city before the war-time is hence constructed in our minds, hard-hitting us as we are shown the utter demolishment of Homs later on. All these are shown to diminish the differences between the Syrians and the global audience – that we are not that unlike.
PART 2 - Realization
This part is all about people’s adjustment to wars and time of adversity. We get to witness how the gripping horror of reality exactly sunk in the minds of people. Basset’s friend got injured in the early days. The scene in which he woke up only to find the shift of focus of the revolution and friends imprinted such a shock to me. His unsynchronized adjustment to reality was unsettling because it’s honest and real. It triggers a sense of virtual familiarity among the audience for we are receiving waves of shock via the film as the space – history, sense of time, sense of direction of besieged city got figuratively vaporized gradually with the passing of time and the film itself. – Basset and his allies were starting to reside in different houses and buildings; what was home to them? What was homs to them? What is home to us?
PART 3 – Revaluation
Determination soured into devastation. We see the wills of Basset getting weakened as the city and her space being at the edge of demolishment every day. The breakdown of Basset after getting shot in the leg is heart-aching but it also highlights the essence of the film. Bassets along with numerous Syrians are humans after all, made of flesh and bones. They suffer gravely from the loss of their loved ones, experiencing strong sense of despair. | |
The mismatch of responsibility of young ones like Basset (he was around 18-19 when he got sucked into this big cluster of mess) makes Basset and us wonder - is it worth it? But then we see supports and consolation from friends and families of Basset. Basset refused to give in to despair and revaluated the actions of his. Revaluation turned determination once again
The Structure : The end is the beginning is the end
The city alone is a character in the film. I know this saying is somewhat clichéd but it really plays such a central part in the film. The film starts by the crew leaving the war-torn space of Homs and ends with Basset returning to Homs. The end is the beginning is the end. This structure certainly intensifies the never-endingness of wars and Basset and his allies themselves are long long way from true victory and harmony. This is somewhat like a special and delicate note from the crew themselves, having been by the frontlines with Bassets for so long - a way of saying goodbyes perhaps and forecasting the potential transition of the city space and the people.
As a whole, the film triumphs over hooking one’s primitive feelings of fear, hope and faith in God to the predicaments in Syria, reminding the rest of the world of their true identities – the global citizens. Before passing judgments on the refugees and parties involved, we shall put ourselves in their shoes. What would we do? What did they do?
As a whole, the film triumphs over hooking one’s primitive feelings of fear, hope and faith in God to the predicaments in Syria, reminding the rest of the world of their true identities – the global citizens. Before passing judgments on the refugees and parties involved, we shall put ourselves in their shoes. What would we do? What did they do?